Central Plaza Hotel: Fifty tonnes of masonry removed from building

Specialist contractors have been working to secure the site

Approximately 50 tonnes of masonry has been removed from a derelict hotel in Cumbria as work continues to make the building safe.

The crumbling state of Carlisle's Central Plaza Hotel has seen part of Victoria Viaduct closed for six weeks.

Carlisle City Council said work has been completed on the building's left gable and attention had turned to the opposite gable.

A roof over the front section will also be removed.

The building's exterior has been cloaked in scaffolding for years

The Grade II-listed building has been unused since 2004 and the council has said it will look to have it demolished if a developer cannot be found.

However, as the building does not have an owner it is subject to a legal process called escheat which means the Crown Estate - a government-run institution - is allowed to sell it, although it does not own it.